Paralegal Recommendation Letter

When a paralegal is looking for a job with a new law firm, he or she may be up against a lot of competition. All of the applicants may have excellent qualifications, but in order to get the job, it may help to have a recommendation letter from a reputable paralegal, senior partner, a colleague, judge or a satisfied client. If a person is asked to write a paralegal recommendation letter to a firm or an individual, there is specific information the letter should contain. The letter should also clearly show that the writer knows the paralegal well and is confident about his or her abilities.

As with any reference letter, a paralegal recommendation letter should express the candidate’s work ethic, abilities and good character. The letter should be very professional, because this will reflect on the candidate’s character. The first sentence of the letter should state its purpose.

The letter should highlight the candidate’s reliability and honesty. If the paralegal has previously worked for a law firm, and the writer also worked for the same law firm, the letter should clearly state that the candidate strictly followed the company policy. This is an essential point if a new law firm is considering the candidate.

If the letter is for a specific person, the name should be spelled correctly and the proper title used. If it is to a company or other organization, it may be addressed to the hiring manager. The writer should use his or her company letterhead and include their contact information along with a business card.

The letter should clearly state how the writer knows the candidate and for how long. For example, the writer may have been the candidate’s professor in college or law school and seen that the candidate was an excellent student. The candidate may have worked at the same law firm as the writer, and the writer may have been a senior partner and overseen the cases on which the candidate was working.

The letter should clearly state the candidate’s strengths. It is important to mention whether the writer witnessed the candidate in action. Specific examples should be given as to how the candidate’s strengths were exercised during his or her practice of law. For example, some qualities that can be mentioned are the candidate’s ability to relate to a jury, whether the candidate is reliable and punctual, and it may include the record of cases won, if applicable.

Personal qualities may also be mentioned. For example, the candidate’s ability to maintain client confidentiality and his or her ability to be a team player can be mentioned. These qualities will help the candidate stand out from the competition.

A good paralegal recommendation letter should also contain any memberships and participation in legal organizations. For example, the letter can mention if the candidate has served on the board of their local bar association, and how devoted she was in the position. The writer can state if the candidate has done any pro bono work for the underprivileged, or if the candidate has published any articles in legal journals.

The letter should close with a statement that the writer is confident the candidate will be an asset to the firm, company or other organization. The writer should also invite the recipient of the letter to call or email if he or she has any further questions.

Below is a sample paralegal recommendation letter. It is a formal business letter and should be sent by certified mail. The tone should be professional, complimentary and positive about the candidate. However, it should also be honest and not contain any falsehoods.

Sample 1 - Paralegal Recommendation Letter​Name of WriterTitle of WriterCompany or Law Firm of WriterAddress of WriterCity, State, Zip Code

DATE

Name of RecipientTitle of RecipientCompany or Law Firm of RecipientAddress of RecipientCity, State, Zip Code

Dear Name of Recipient:

This letter is a formal recommendation for Name of Candidate for the position of paralegal in your firm. Name of Candidate worked in my firm for seven years and during that time was an exemplary paralegal. She is leaving my firm because her husband has been transferred to Your City, and she plans to move with him. I am very sorry to let her go, but I understand why she wants to keep her family together as she has two young children. She would like to continue working in the legal industry and I offered to recommend her to your firm.

Name of Candidate has a strong eye for detail and this has served our firm on several occasions. She remains calm in and out of the courtroom, which is appreciated by our clients. She has won a large majority of her cases, mainly because she is extremely thorough in her due diligence and outshines the prosecution.

Name of Candidate has a strong sense of community and has taken at least two pro bono cases each year to help people who would have otherwise not been able to afford legal counsel. She served as pro bono legal counsel for a group of people who did not want to be forced out of their homes to make way for a parking lot for the nearby mall. She won the case.

Everyone at the firm is sorry to see her go. She uses her many talents for the benefit of the clients and the firm. I believe Name of Candidate will make a valuable member of your team, and I heartily recommend that you give her a chance. I can be reached at Phone Number or at Email Address if you have any questions or would like more details about her character and conduct. I have also enclosed my business card.